If I Could Turn Back Time
by Bookkbaby
Summary: BakuraRyou pairing. Bakura has hurt Ryou's feelings again and this time, Ryou might not forgive him. ShounenAi warning! Fluff and happy ending.


This is a songfic to Cher's 'If I Could Turn Back Time'. I was listening to it, and it just seemed to fit Ryou and Bakura!

Disclaimer: I don't own the song or the characters. Storyline, however, for this fic is MINE! I'll send the Thief King after you if you steal it!

Bakura: No she won't- like hell I'd go!

Bookkbaby: Ryou?

Ryou: Yes?

Bookkbaby: Explain to Bakura WHY it'd be a good idea to do what I say if he wants me to write those other Ryou/Bakura fics I have in mind-

Bakura: Nevermind. I'll go. huggles Ryou

Note: I'll be referring to Ryou Bakura as Ryou and Yami Bakura as Bakura.

Warnings: Fluff, angst, shounen-ai! Bring it on! (May be OOC, as I haven't seen the series in a while...)

Song lyrics are in _italics._

Note: I ran this through spell and grammar check and changed song lyrics to italics. Only thing I changed.

If I Could Turn Back Time

A Ryou/Bakura Songfic

_If I could turn back time_

_If I could find a way_

_I'd take back those words that hurt you_

_And you'd stay_

Bakura stood, staring at the door to the apartment he and his hikari had shared, before and after Bakura had gotten a body of his own.

Bakura had done a lot of stupid things in his life, and made many mistakes, but this had to be the first one he regretted so completely. As the Thief King, he hadn't felt a lot of regret before, always having to move forward to keep surviving.

But... Bakura's fists clenched at his sides, bangs hiding his eyes.

This was the first time he wanted to go back to the past and just undo what had happened between himself and his sweet, innocent hikari.

_I don't know why I did the things I did_

_I don't know why I said the things I said_

_Pride's like a knife it can cut deep inside_

_Words are like weapons_

_They wound sometimes_

Bakura shut the door numbly, wandering over to the small living room area and collapsing onto a chair.

'Why the hell did I do that?' he demanded of himself, recalling their fight.

Flashback

"Bakura? Are you feeling all right?" Ryou asked hesitantly. Bakura scoffed, digging into his dinner.

"You've been acting strangely all day. Are you getting sick? It is winter, after all-"

"3,000 year old spirits don't get sick, idiot. Getting sick is for stupid mortals like you." Bakura growled, tone indicating the conversation was closed.

"Well, it's just that this is your first winter in Japan with your own body so... I was-"

"Concerned, hikari? Save it for someone who cares." Bakura stood, having finished his meal.

"Now clean up." He turned and was about to leave the kitchen when a small sniffling sound reached his ears. Annoyed (and slightly concerned, even though he would never admit it.)

"Stop your sniveling." he commanded Ryou, who seemed to be on the verge of crying.

"You... you really don't care about me at all, do you? I-I was just trying to help..."

"How long did it take you to pick up on the fact I don't like you?" Bakura said harshly. "You're the weakest host I could have gotten!"

"B-but... not even a little?" Ryou asked, looking up at his yami as hope dimmed in his eyes.

It wouldn't have taken much effort at this point to admit that he did care somewhat for Ryou. The light would have been back in his hikari's eyes. Ryou would have been slightly happier thinking that Bakura cared, even if Ryou thought it was a lie.

Because it was. Bakura didn't like Ryou at all. Really.

He just needed to convince himself first.

"Why is it so damn important? Because you 'love me'?" Bakura asked, seemingly bored.

Ryou's face instantly drained of all color as he looked at Bakura in horror.

"You... how long have... when...?" Ryou asked, standing but not moving any closer to his dark. "...why?"

"The information was irrelevant. It's a pathetic emotion for pathetic people; those who need to support themselves on other people. I need no one." Bakura's eyes narrowed into a glare. "And I most certainly don't need you."

Ryou looked like he had been slapped. He stumbled away from Bakura to the door, eyes blurry from tears.

"Where the hell do you think you're going!" Bakura demanded, starting forward. He grabbed Ryou's arm, yanking the teen back from the now-open door.

To his surprise, Ryou slapped his arm away.

"Don't touch me!" the teen said, not looking at Bakura as he ran out the door, raising one arm to wipe his eyes. "I hate you!"

Bakura stood, frozen in shock.

End Flashback

'I saw how much I was hurting him- why the hell didn't I shut up!'

_I didn't really mean to hurt you_

_I didn't want to see you go_

_I know I made you cry_

Bakura couldn't place the feeling he got when he thought of how hurt his hikari had sounded when Ryou had said he hated the yami. He had also gotten the strangest urging to run after Ryou, to make sure he wouldn't leave.

'I know he was crying again. Why do I always do that to him?' Bakura constantly pushed his sweet light away, but he secretly hated the look Ryou got when the teen was hurt by Bakura. It seemed inhuman to put such an innocent creature through such cruelty, but Bakura kept hurting his light again and again. Ryou had stayed with him through all the hurt- even grown to love Bakura.

Ryou had run from him. Ryou had been crying because of what Bakura had said.

This time, Bakura was almost afraid- almost, because the King of Thieves was never afraid- that he may have gone too far and pushed Ryou too far away.

_But baby_

_If I could turn back time_

_If I could find a way_

_I'd take back those words that hurt you_

_And you'd stay_

Bakura bit his bottom lip, enough to draw blood.

'I didn't mean it. I do care, yadonushi.' Blood trickled steadily from the tear in his lip, but he paid it no mind.

'I do care- I just didn't tell you. Idiot!'

_If I could reach the stars_

_I'd give them all to you_

_Then you'd love me_

_Love me_

_Like you used to do_

_If I could back time_

'He hates me now, doesn't he? I'd hate me now too.' Bakura stood, suddenly restless. He walked outside, looking up at the moon. It reminded him so much of Ryou's hair- gorgeous and magnificent, shining even brighter than the moonlight. It was a poor substitute for Ryou, in Bakura's opinion.

And the stars...

They rivaled Ryou's eyes when he was happy- a sight Bakura had seen so few times. Not those false smiles and the happiness his hikari faked for the Pharaoh and his friends, but true happiness that he had only been allowed to witness a few times in all the years he had known the other.

Bakura lifted a hand to the sky, tracing the patterns of the few constellations he remembered from Egypt and the ones Ryou had shown him once.

'They seem almost like jewels from here. I'd have stolen them by now, if I could reach.' Bakura brought his hand back down. 'They'd be the most precious of gems- sparkling diamonds.'

Bakura smirked sadly, imagining his light in a diamond-studded collar and cuffs. He'd look good.

'If I could give him the stars, moon, and sky would it be enough to make up for what I said?'

_My world was shattered_

_I was torn apart_

Like someone took a knife and drove it deep in my heart 

His restlessness not eased by wandering outside, Bakura went back in to grab his jacket. He was getting cold.

'Ryou's probably freezing- the idiot ran right outside in the dead of winter with just that damn sweater!' Bakura frowned. Ryou could die out in this weather- he couldn't allow that.

He grabbed a blanket off the top shelf of the closet and left the apartment building behind.

Ryou was the center of his world. He didn't know enough to call it 'love', but he did care.

Something inside of him had torn at Ryou's words. 'I hate you!' reverberated in Bakura's head.

If he traced the feeling, it was like his heart hurt. Like someone had taken a dagger and killed him, carving out his heart as a grisly prize.

_You walked out that door_

_I swore that I didn't care_

_But I lost everything darling_

_Then and there_

'I told him to his face that I didn't care.' Bakura remembered, walking along the street and shooting worried glances everywhere.

"Ryou!" he called, hoping Ryou would respond, or at least react so Bakura could find him.

Ryou was a part of him- that much he knew. A part he couldn't get rid of, or even wanted to despite what he claimed.

Ryou was the center of his world, and when Ryou had left...

It had opened a black hole that swallowed him whole. Everything had been lost to that void, even if it hadn't been more than three hours since Ryou ran.

_Too strong to tell you I was sorry_

_Too proud to tell you I was wrong_

_I know that I was blind_

_But darling_

'Look, Ryou, I'll admit that was harsh. I didn't mean it- any of it.' Bakura kept walking, starting to feel the chill a bit. He knew he wouldn't be able to tell Ryou- his pride was being able to depend on no one but himself and needing no one. That pride would get in the way of begging Ryou to stay with him.

'How come I didn't know that what I said would hurt him that much? I'm supposed to protect him- that's why I'm his dark.'

_If I could turn back time_

_If I could find a way_

_I'd take back those words that hurt you_

_And you'd stay_

'If I could, Ryou, I swear I'd take it all back.'

_If I could reach the stars_

_I'd give them all to you_

_Then you'd love me_

_Love me_

_Like you used to do_

_If I could turn back time (if I could turn back time)_

_If I could turn back time (if I could turn back time)_

_If I could_

_Turn back time_

_Oh, baby_

'I'll give you anything you ask. I'll find a way to get you whatever you want. The world? The stars? The sun? Even the gods themselves.' Bakura swallowed, entering a small park where Ryou used to walk.

Something told him his light was here.

'I don't want you to hate me. Just... I want you to love me again. I don't want you to hate me.'

Bakura's heart sped up when he spotted a small figure huddled underneath a tree, leaning against the trunk. The white hair gave the person's identity away in a moment.

"Ryou!"

_I didn't really mean to hurt you_

_I didn't want to see you go_

_I know I made you cry_

_But, oh_

_If I could turn back time_

_If I could find a way_

_I'd take back those words that hurt you_

The boy jerked his face towards the sound of Bakura's voice, reddened eyes wide in shock. It was obvious he had spent the last three hours crying.

Ryou turned and ran, but not before Bakura saw the tears in his eyes start up again. Not frozen in shock- unlike last time- Bakura gave chase and quickly caught up to Ryou. He grabbed the teen's arm, spinning Ryou around. Ryou tried to struggle, but to no avail.

"Let m-me... go!" Ryou begged, teeth chattering and tears streaming down his face. Bakura scowled, draping the blanket over Ryou's shivering form and then hugging the other close. Ryou stopped crying, surprised.

'I... I'm sorry.' Bakura thought, unable to say what he needed to and hoping Ryou caught his meaning through his actions.

"B-Bakura...?" Ryou asked, as if unsure the person holding him desperately was his yami. Bakura pulled Ryou a bit closer in affirmation.

"I-I thought you didn't care..." Ryou said, sniffling. "You said you h-hated me..." Ryou's voice cracked slightly on the word 'hated'.

"Forget it. Forget it, Ryou." Bakura said softly. 'If I could take those words back I would.' he added mentally.

_If I could reach the stars_

_I'd give them all to you_

_Then you'd love me_

_Love me_

_Like you used to do_

_If I could turn back time (turn back time)_

_If I could find a way (find a way)_

_Then maybe baby maybe_

_You'd stay_

_(reach the stars) If I could reach the stars_

_(all to you) I'd give them all to you_

"How can I forget? You hurt me b-badly, Bakura. I-I'll need time... No. I can't forgive you for this. Not anytime soon, and I might never be able to." Ryou shook off the dark's embrace, backing away from the one that had hurt him so badly. Bakura just watched as the last person he loved ran away from him again, the blanket trailing behind him.

Bakura collapsed to his knees as soon as Ryou was out of sight.

"It was hopeless, wasn't it? From the beginning..." Bakura muttered to himself. "Dark and Light are opposites. Mortal enemies. They aren't coexisting, they're forever struggling."

Bakura looked up at the sky, the stars taunting him with their light- the light that belonged only to the darkness of night, in perfect harmony.

If he could steal that harmony, he would take it.

If he could take back what he had said, he would.

If he could...

If he could have made Ryou stay, then he would have.

If he could have admitted to his true feelings are actually spoken them aloud to the one who mattered most, he would have.

But he had not.

And he had lost Ryou.

'I'm sorry.' Bakura thought, wetness collecting in the corners of his eyes.

"I'm SORRY!"

Scene Change!

Ryou knocked on the door of the Kame Game Shop. Hearing no answer after five minutes, he knocked again.

This time, the door opened.

"Ryou? What are you doing here, and wrapped in a blanket?" Yugi asked sleepily, Yami walking up and yawning behind the small hikari.

"I need to ask a favor of you. Could I stay here for a while until I find somewhere else to live?" Ryou asked.

"Did that filthy Tomb Robber do something?" Yami asked, instantly alert at the mention of Ryou's dark. Ryou shook his head.

"It's not his fault. Just... can I stay here? I'm sorry, I don't have anything else with me..."

"I'm sure Grandpa will let you, Ryou! We have a guest room you can use." Yugi ushered his friend into the shop, closing the door behind Ryou.

"Thank you, Yugi." Ryou said gratefully, smiling at the warmth of the shop. "I'm rather tired- may I go to the guest room? I'll have to pick up some of my things tomorrow..."

"Oh- sure. Do you want Yami and me to go get some things for you?" Yugi offered. He could tell Ryou didn't want to go back to the house.

"I don't want to impose on you any more-" Ryou started hesitantly, but Yami cut him off.

"I shall go- but by myself. Do you have a list of things you need?" he asked. Ryou shook his head.

"If you could just pick me up some pajamas and a change of clothes for tomorrow, that would be wonderful."

"Thank you, Yami." Yugi said, smiling at his dark. The Pharaoh returned the smile warmly, grabbing a jacket as he went out the door.

"I'll be back shortly." he called over his shoulder, shutting the door behind him.

Yugi smiled fondly after his dark for a moment, then turned back to his friend. Instantly, his face was full of concern.

"Ryou? Are you okay?" Ryou's bangs covered his face, but Yugi could see tears running down the white-haired boy's cheeks and Ryou was shaking.

"I-I'll be fine... Y-Yugi..." Ryou said.

'Why did it work out for Yugi and Yami? Why can they be so happy together?'

Scene Change!

Yami carefully knocked on the door to Ryou's apartment. He had forgotten the key.

No one answered.

Not expecting a result, he tried to doorknob.

'That's strange.' he thought, the knob turning easily in his hand. 'Why would the tomb robber leave the door unlocked?'

He entered the apartment, almost shivering at the dark feeling in the air.

He walked to Ryou's bedroom, uneasy since he hadn't seen the tomb robber yet.

'Maybe he left?' he wondered, opening Ryou's bedroom door. Instantly, he saw something white rush up to his face. Yami ducked, and the pillow sailed harmlessly overhead. He stood, looking inside the room.

"OUT! I don't want you here! Get OUT, you bastard Pharaoh!" Yami blinked at Bakura, who sat on what had to be Ryou's bed- it was too dark to tell. Yami couldn't even see the expression on Bakura's face, though judging from the tone he had to be angry.

"What did you do to Ryou, tomb robber?" Yami demanded, stepping into the room and turning the lights on.

Yami blinked, allowing his eyes to adjust. When they did, he blinked again.

Bakura's eyes were red-rimmed, and despite the shaky scowl (an attempt to look angry, Yami thought absently) Bakura seemed so... sad.

"Bakura?" Yami asked, eyes wide. Bakura shook his head.

"No! Out! GET OUT!" Bakura reached to his back and pulled out a knife from a sheath he had on his back. He quickly threw it, but Yami ducked. It embedded itself in the wall behind Yami's head.

Yami scowled at the obviously distraught yami before him.

"That was uncalled for, tomb robber. I am not the reason Ryou left." Yami could tell he had correctly guessed the cause of Bakura's mood when Bakura suddenly gained a stricken expression.

Instantly, Yami felt guilty. That had been a low blow.

"Out. Leave me alone." Bakura said, turning away from the Pharaoh. The sight was so unlike Bakura- the Bakura Yami knew- that Yami couldn't stop himself from offering a sympathetic ear.

Even previous enemies could become friends, and everyone deserved another chance.

"It can help to tell a friend when something hurts you." Yami offered. Bakura laughed mockingly.

"I have no friends. I rely on no one but myself." Bakura's laugh changed from mocking to hollow. "And that was my mistake, wasn't it, O Great Pharaoh?"

"Bakura?" Yami asked, puzzled. He reached out a hand to touch the thief's shoulder, but Bakura slapped his hand away.

"I don't need your pity, Pharaoh. Collect whatever he needs and get out. That's why you came here, isn't it?" The last question was obviously rhetorical. Yami was still concerned about his former enemy's state of mind, however, and didn't let the matter drop.

"It's not pity, Bakura. I'm offering my friendship."

"I don't need it." the tomb robber said, after a small pause.

"And you don't desire it?" Yami asked. Bakura shook his head.

"Someone like you- the almighty Pharaoh- wouldn't get it, would he? When you're all alone for your entire existence and then you finally get close to something. You treasure it, and never realized to what extent until it left you. And by then it's too late to get it back." Bakura laughed again, the sound hollow.

"...What do you mean?" Yami asked, pretty sure he knew to what Bakura referred.

"... Get out of here, Pharaoh, before I lose my temper." Bakura stood and walked out of Ryou's room. Yami thought he heard a door close down the hall.

'So, he really does care for Ryou.' Yami thought, walking over to Ryou's dresser and taking out the requested items.

'I wonder if Ryou knows.'

Scene Change!

Yugi looked at his friend sympathetically, rubbing his back in an attempt to comfort the white-haired teen.

Since Yami had left and Ryou had broken down, Yugi had taken Ryou to the guestroom and had listened to the entire story as told by Ryou. From what Yugi could hear- Ryou had been crying through a good deal of it- Ryou loved Bakura, and Bakura had found out. Ryou had run, and then run again when Bakura had told him to forget the scene in the apartment.

"Wh-What if he was... was trying to apologize and I ran away before he c-could? Do you th-think he hates me now, Yugi?" Ryou asked in-between sniffles. Yugi shook his head.

"I don't think Bakura hates you, Ryou! I'm sure he does like you, at least a little." Yugi said, though he himself was unsure of his words. It must have been evident in his voice, because Ryou just shook his head.

"Even y-you don't think so. H-He told me he d-didn't need me..."

Yugi bit his lip. He didn't honestly know what to say- Bakura had always acted like he didn't like Ryou, but Yugi wasn't so sure it was the truth. He didn't know enough to reassure Ryou, though, and that was his main problem.

The door to the room opened. In walked Yami, carrying a small armful of clothes.

"Yami! You're back!" Yugi said, standing up and hugging his dark. Yami just smiled, then turned serious eyes to Ryou.

"Ryou, could you tell me what happened between you and Bakura? He was... not himself when I ran into him at your apartment."

"Not himself?" Yugi asked, surprised. Yami noticed Ryou stiffen slightly, so he pressed on.

"He was extremely sad. We actually had something of a civil conversation. I may have received some insight to how this whole misunderstanding came about."

"Misunderstanding?" Yugi asked, incredulous. "Bakura said to Ryou that he didn't need him! That's just cruel."

"Bakura is a complicated person- and just because you do not need something does not mean you do not desire it, and just because you do not admit how much you want something does not mean the desire does not exist. What's the phrase? 'You do not know what you have until you lose it'?" Yami asked. He saw Ryou stiffen even more.

"Huh? Ryou?" Yugi turned to look at Ryou as well, confused. "Are you okay?"

"... I'm sorry." Ryou stood abruptly and pushed his way past Yugi and Yami. Seconds later, they heard footsteps thud down the stairs. The door was unlocked, opened, and then shut with a slam.

"Where's he going?" Yugi asked.

"Home." Yami answered simply.

Scene Change!

Bakura scowled as he lay on his light's bed, holding the pillow that smelled so much like Ryou.

He had actually cried earlier, for the first time in -literally- ages. What's worse, the Pharaoh had caught him at it. To top things off, the Pharaoh had been collecting clothes for Ryou to wear, meaning that Ryou would be over at the Pharaoh's house with the twerp.

Bakura buried his face in the pillow, inhaling deeply. It calmed him down.

'If I could, I'd take those words back. Or I'd tell you what I actually meant in the park. Or I'd do something.' Bakura swore to himself.

He was so preoccupied he didn't notice the person entering the apartment. At least, not until the door to Ryou's room burst open and someone with fair skin and light hair launched himself at Bakura.

"Ryou!" Bakura said, shocked.

Scene Change!

Ryou had run as fast as he could, Yami words ringing in his head.

'Why didn't I realize he was trying to apologize? Maybe he doesn't need me with him, but maybe he wants me with him...?' His thoughts slowed as he ran into his apartment building and then straight to his apartment. He opened the door, running straight to where he felt his yami's presence- in Ryou's bedroom.

He threw the door open, barely pausing for a second before he threw himself onto Bakura and held on.

"Ryou!" Bakura said, shocked.

"I-I'm sorry, Bakura... I... I'm sorry I left. I don't hate you. I don't." Ryou said, clinging to Bakura and trying to savor the feeling before Bakura inevitably pushed him away again.

"... So you're not staying with the Ra-damned Pharaoh and his hikari, Ryou? I thought you'd prefer their company..." Bakura spat; though he was more defensive than anything else. "You did say you would never forgive me- or is forever really only an hour?"

"I-I thought..." Ryou let go, backing away with his shoulders slumped. "I... nevermind. I guess I was wrong. I-I'm sorry to bother you." Ryou made as if to stand, eyes wrenched shut in emotional distress.

"Ra-damnit!" Ryou was suddenly pulled backwards, landing on something warm and soft.

"B-Bakura?" Ryou stammered, surprised. He looked behind him- he had landed on his back- and stared up into Bakura's red-rimmed eyes. Ryou's eyes widened- he hadn't gotten a good look at his yami's face before now, and now that he had...

'Was he... crying?' Ryou thought in wonder.

"I... I-" Bakura seemed unable to say something, as though the words refused to pass his lips.

Deciding that actions spoke louder than words, Bakura grabbed Ryou's chin and kissed him thoroughly, using Ryou's small gasp as permission to bring tongues into the kiss. Bakura's tongue explored Ryou's mouth, tasting him thoroughly just in case Ryou wouldn't allow him this kind of contact again...

Ryou's wide eyes shrank back to normal size, fluttering closed as he tried to return the kiss as best he could from his awkward position.

Eventually, they broke apart, Bakura resting his forehead against Ryou's as they both breathed in deeply.

"I'm sorry, Ryou. I- I do need you-"

"No you don't- you said as much yourself. I don't want you to say this just to make me feel better. I want you to mean it. I need you to mean it." Ryou said softly, tears collecting in his eyes again. "Is this just a game to you? What am I to you?"

"I do need you- I want you to the point of pain. It's beyond wanting- that's 'need', isn't it?" Bakura asked, pulling Ryou closer as if he was afraid Ryou would run from him for the third time that day.

Ryou bit his lip.

Bakura seemed sincere- and Ryou wanted so badly to believe him, but...

"How can I trust you? You... you yourself said that my emotions towards you were 'irrelevant'..."

"I didn't know! I didn't know then..." Bakura made a choked sound, not used to having to deal with this particular emotion. "I... I really do love you, Ryou."

"I want to... I want to believe you, but... I don't want to end up being a toy for you, a puppet you use."

"How can I prove it?" Bakura whispered. "I don't know anything... about this... this feeling I get when I'm around you. I didn't even know it was there until you ran away from me. When you told me you hated me."

"I don't hate you. I- I don't think I can." Ryou confessed. "I forgive you. Whatever you need to be forgiven for, I forgive you. For everything." Shyly, Ryou pressed his lips against his dark's, hoping that it was not a dream, that it would last, that it wasn't just some sort of sick joke...

Bakura kissed back passionately, trying to pour his feelings into the kiss, trying to convince Ryou that he was being honest. He was actually baring his soul for the first time since he had been a child, and he was just as afraid of being rejected and hurt as Ryou. Ryou had every right to push him away and say that Bakura could never be trusted, even to start hating Bakura for stomping on his heart after tearing it out like he had.

"Does this mean you believe me?" Bakura asked. Ryou hesitantly nodded.

"You really don't hate me?"

"No- I don't. I love you, Bakura." Ryou smiled warmly at his yami. "May I stay with you?"

"I want you to." Bakura lay back down, Ryou with him. They shifted into a more comfortable position for sleeping- Ryou with his head on Bakura's chest, his body partially curled and his legs entwined with Bakura's. Bakura himself had his arms wrapped protectively around Ryou, face nuzzling the hikari's hair.

"Goodnight, Bakura."

"Sleep well, Ryou."

Scene Change!

Early the next day, two figures with star-shaped hair could be seen entering the apartment of Ryou and Bakura.

"Do you think it's a good idea to spy on them, Yami? We don't know what happened..." Yugi said nervously as they entered the unlocked apartment.

"It's almost noon- and I need to return these clothes." Yami said, holding out the articles in question. He had a slightly devious smile on his face. Yugi gulped.

'I hope they're in a good mood. When Yami gets that smile on his face he has a plan...'

Quietly, the two snuck in, heading straight to Ryou's room. They opened the door as silently as they could and slipped inside. They both glanced at the bed, Yami smiling and Yugi's jaw dropping in surprise.

Ryou and Bakura were... cuddling? In Ryou's bed? They seemed to be asleep, so therefore they had to have slept like that the entire night.

"Whoa..." Yugi said, looking at Yami. "Did you know about those two?"

"I had a hunch. Bakura was extraordinarily distraught for 'not caring' about Ryou, and he did say some things that made me think." Yami said.

"If you're going to talk, at least have the decency to not talk in front of me. You'll wake Ryou." Yugi and Yami jumped, seeing Bakura's eyes open.

"B-Bakura? Uh... I'm sorry, but you see we had to return these clothes..." Yugi explained, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Well, you've come, you've seen, and now you can go and shut up." Bakura said. Ryou stirred, but ended up just nuzzling closer and falling back asleep.

Yami and Yugi both started laughing lightly at the look on Bakura's face.

"What's so funny!" Bakura demanded, glaring at the Pharaoh and Yugi from his lying position.

"You seem to have gone soft. But it's not such a bad feeling, is it tomb robber?" Yami asked.

Bakura huffed but didn't reply.

No one noticed Ryou awaken.

"Hmmm? Kura...?" Ryou murmured, blinking tired eyes. He smiled when he saw his love, not even noticing the two others in the room. Ryou pressed a gentle 'good-morning' kiss to Bakura's lips. Automatically, Bakura returned the kiss, but then pushed Ryou away when he heard laughter. Ryou was confused for a moment, but then turned to the source of the laughter.

"Yami? Yugi?" Ryou said, blushing. He quickly sat up, stammering. "W-What brings you two here so early?"

"It's almost noon, Ryou." Yugi said. "We were just dropping off your clothes."

"Oh- well, thank you, Yami, Yugi." Ryou said. "I-I wasn't aware of the time..."

"We noticed." Yami said. "Since we just came to drop these off, we'll be going."

"Oh, You can stay for a little while, if you like. I mean, you were kind enough to take me in the other night." Ryou said. "We'll have lunch."

"It depends if we are fully welcome in your home." Yami said. He looked at Bakura. A tense silence filled the room. Yugi looked at Bakura as well- even Ryou looked at his yami hopefully.

Finally, Bakura broke it.

"I don't care. Stay if it pleases you so Ra-damned much." Ryou smiled softly at his dark.

"Thank you, Bakura." he said quietly. Bakura shrugged.

"We'll wait in the living room for you two." Yugi said. The two tri-colored haired boys left.

"Good morning." Ryou said to Bakura. Bakura captured Ryou's lips again, passionately kissing his light.

"Good morning." They rolled out of bed dressing quickly and meeting Yami and Yugi in the living room. Bakura and Ryou kept glancing at each other throughout the day, sharing secret glances and smiles. When they were alone, they cuddled, both needing to hold on to the other to reassure themselves that it wasn't a dream.

It may have been a rocky start, but as they say the path of true love ne'er did run smooth.

End

And- it's over! Were they too OOC? As I said, I haven't seen the series in a long time (and Bakura-sama doesn't appear too often cries) so my view of their personalities is a bit warped by all the fanfiction I read. I tried to make them accurate, but I don't know how well it worked! We are our own worst judges, after all!

If this didn't turn out too badly (you can help me know if it did or not by reviewing! Thanks!) I have another story in the works. Well, actually, a story and its sequel, with a small mini-series companion piece. If this was relatively in character, I might just finish the other ideas up and post those. If not, the ideas will rot until I get a better handle on their characters. (And my hands on the DVDs...)


End file.
